Fuel conveyer and crusher



May 18, 1937 c. T. HANSEN 2030710* FUEL CONVEYER AND CRUSHER Filed July 18, 1935 INVENTOR. Chris/ '7.'7 Hansen ATTORNEY.

Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FUEL CONVEYER AND CRUSHER Application July 18, 1933, Serial No. 680,910

14 Claims.

'Ihis invention relates to a means for conveying coal from a bin or other source of supply by means of a screw conveyer, in combination with a crushing member which cooperates with the screw to reduce the lumps of coal to a size suitable for firing. This invention is particularly adapted for use in automatic locomotive stokers wherein coal is fed by means of the screw conveyer from the coal bin on the tender to the rebox on the locomotive.

In stokers, of this character, it has been the practice to employ a crusher plate mounted over the conveyer screw adjacent the forward end wall of the fuel trough, which plate is provided with rearwardly projecting teeth adapted to cooperate with the screw in crushing the large lumps of coal as they are fed forward by the screw. In the practical operation of devices of this character, the crusher plate, which is e() mounted close to the screw, forms an abutment or obstruction to the coal in its forward movement under the influence of the screw, and by reason of the shearing action which takes place between the flight of the screw and the lower edge of the crusher, a considerable amount of fuel is crushed to an undesirable extent for certain conditions of service.

It is an object of the present invention to ,provide a novel crusher which will cooperate with the conveyer screw to split and 'break up the large lumps of coal and substantially eliminate the crushing of the small pieces of coal and the shearing of the large lumps between the lower edge of the crusher plate and the con- Veyer screw, thereby minimizing the amount of lines produced in the crushing operation.

Other objects of my invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying;L drawing, which shows the preferred embodiment of my invention, and wherein Figure l is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the locomotive tender showing a portion of the coal bin, conveying mechanism and my improved crushing means; Y

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figures 3, 4, and 5 are a plan, an elevation viewed from the rear and a side elevation of the crusher embodying the features of my invention.

In the drawing, the tender is represented generally by the numeral I0 and comprises the frame II and the coal receptacle or bin I2. The

V bottom of the bin I2 is provided with a central longitudinal opening I 3 through which coal is adapted to pass to the open mouth conveyer trough I4. Removable cover sections I5 may b'e slid forward or moved from covering position to permit entry of coal into the trough I4 yas -5 the supply becomes depleted. The trough I4 is provided with a tubular extension I6 and with- Y in the trough I4 and extending to the front end of its tubular portion 'I6 is a conveyer screw I'I. Movement of the trough incident to the relative 10 movements of the locomotive and tender is provided for in part by mounting the trough upon rollers I8 which rest upon track elements I9 supported from the frame of the tender and extending longitudinally thereof. 15

Flanges 20 and 20a depending from the under side of the fuel bin floor 2| and extending along the sides of the tro-ugh I4 prevent fuel from spilling over the sides of the trough. A similar ange 22 and a ange 23 extending outwardly from `2-0 the tubular portion I6 adjacent the open mouth of the troughl I4 prevent fuel from spilling over the front of the trough.

Mounted on the flange 24 and formed with a lower semicircular recess or opening24 which ,25 embraces the upper portion of the conveyer screw Il is a crusher 25 having a plate-like portion 2E which is provided with rearwardly extending spurs or projections 21. The crusher 25 is bolted with its plate-like portion 26 flat- 30 i wise against the flange 24 and to render it adjustable to and from the screw it is provided with vertical slots 28 and 29 through which the bolts 30 and 3l, for securing it to the flange 24. The marginal edge of the crusher 25 bounding the recess 24 is spaced a distance apart from the periphery of the screw conveyer l1 even when the crusher is adjusted to its lowermost position. The projections 2'I extend rearwardly, downwardly and inwardly from the plate-like .40 portion 26 of the crusher 25 and terminate at their free ends closely adjacent the periphery of the screw conveyer. The structure of the novel crusher device and its arrangement withv the screw conveyer is such that the large lumps of 45 fuel will be crushed by being forced against the projections 2l, while the smaller lumps will pass between the projections 2'! and will Vbe carried forwardly beneath the lower marginal edge of the crusher 25. In prior constructions it was 50 the practice to have the marginal edge of the crusher which embraces the screw closely adjacent the periphery thereof, or at least closer to the periphery of the screw than were the free ends of the crusher teeth. In such con- 55 structions the crusher teeth effectively crushed the larger lumps of fuel, but at the same time, some of the fuel was crushed to an undesirable degree of fineness by the shearing action on the fuel of the lower marginal edge of the crusher. At the same time, there was a tendency for the fuel to pack immediately rearward of the crusher and the continual rotation of the screw through this congested area of fuel caused the fuel to be broken up to an undesirable extent. These disadvantages are overcome in my crushing arrangement, there being no tendency to pack at the crusher, and fuel of a size suitable for firing is carried past the crusher without further disintegration. Y

It has also been found in practice that such material as coal, when advanced by a screw, is carried around with the screw to some extent, thisY movement depending on the relative coeiiicients of friction of the screw vane and the walls of the trough. When a positive obstruction to the advance of the fuel is encountered, such as the crushing teeth of a crusher, the fuel will be carried around with the screw, sliding along the edge of the teeth resulting in a scraping effect and producing undesirable fines. In my device the free ends of the projections 21 follow a line oblique Vto the axis of the screw and pitched in the same direction as the vane thereof.Y The lumps of fuel will then be forced directly against the edges of the projections 21, splitting the lumps but eliminating the scraping action.

That portion ofthe screw I1 forward of the crusher 25, has a greater diameter than the portion rearward thereof, and the tubular portion I6 housing that portion of the screw I1 is of such a diameter that fuel after passing the crusher 25 is conveyed therethrough without further material crushing.

I claim:

l. A crusher comprising a plate-like member having a substantially semi-circular indentation in one edge thereof, a plurality of projections extending outwardly from a face of said plate-like member in a direction and for a distance such that the perpendiculars from the free ends of said projections to the plane of said face intersect said plane Within the indented portion of said plate-like member, said projections being arranged in spaced relation for effecting aseparation of the fuel and allowing the fuel of a size commensurate with the spacing of the prongs to pass therebetween.

2. A crusher comprising a plate-like member having a substantially semi-circular indentation in one edge thereof, a plurality of projections formed with and extending outwardly from a face of said plate-like member in a direction and for a 'distance such that the perpendiculars from the free ends of said projections to the plane of said face intersect said plane within the indented portion of said plate-like member at points equidistant from the edge defining said indentation.

3. A crusher comprising a plate-like member having a substantially semi-circular indentation Yin one edge thereof, a plurality of projections ex tending outwardly from a face of said plate-like member adjacent the marginal edge defining said semi-circular indentation ina direction and for Aa distance such that the perpendiculars from the free ends of said projections to the planey of said face intersect said plane within the indented portion of said plate-like member, said projections being arranged in spaced relation for effecting a separation of the fuel and allowing the fuel of a size commensurate with the spacing of the prongs to pass therebetween.

4. A crusher comprising a plate-like member having a substantially semi-circular indentation in one edge thereof, a plurality of projections formed with and extending outwardly from a face of said plate-like member adjacent the marginal edge defining said semi-circular indentation in a direction and for a distance such that the perpendiculars from the projections to the Vplane of said face intersect said plane within the indented portion of said plate-like member at points equidistant from the edge defining said indentation.

5. A crusher comprising a plate-like member having a substantially semi-circular indentation in one edge thereof, a plurality of projections formed with and extending outwardly from a face of said plate-like member in a direction and for a distance such that the perpendiculars from the free'ends of said projections to the plane of said face intersect said plane. within the indented portion of said plate-like member, the free ends of said projections following a line describing a spiral path.

6. A crusher comprising a plate-like member having a substantially semi-circular indentation in one edge thereof, a plurality of projections formed with and extending outwardly from a face of said plate-like member in a direction and for a distance such that the perpendiculars from the free ends of said projections to the plane of said face intersect said plane within the .indented portion of said plate-like member at points equidistant from the edge defining said indentation, the free ends of said projections following a line describing a spiral path.

7. A crusher comprising a plate-like member having a substantially semi-circular indentation in one edge thereof, al plurality of projections formedk with and extending outwardly from a. face of said plate-like member adjacent the marginal edge defining said semi-circular indenta-` tion in a direction and for a distance such that the perpendiculars from the free ends of said projections to the plane of said face intersect said plane within the indented portion of said plate-like member, the free ends` of'said projections following a line describing a spiral path.

8. A crusher comprising a plate-like member having a substantially semi-circular indentation in one edge thereof, a plurality vof projections formed with and extending outwardly from a face of said plate-like member adjacent the marginal edge defining said semi-circular indentation in a direction and for a distance such that the perpendiculars` from the free ends of said projections to the plane of said face intersect said plane within the indented portion of said plate-like member at points equidistant from the edge defining said indentation, the free ends of said projections following a line describing a spiral path;

9. A crusher comprising a plate-like member having a substantially semi-circular indentationv in one edge thereof, a plurality of projections formed with and extending outwardly from a face of said plate-like member adjacent the marginal edge defining said semi-circular indentation in a direction and for a distance such that the perpendiculars from the free ends of said projections to the plane of said face intersect said plane within the indented portion of said platelike member at points equidistant from the edge free ends of said defining said indentation, the free ends of said projections following a line describing a spiral path and a vertical slot in said plate-like member at each side of said semi-circular indentation.

10. In a fuel conveying and crushing device, in combination, a conduit, a spiral conveyer in the conduit, a crusher comprising a plate-like member arching over the spiral conveyer, the arched edge of said plate-like member being spaced from the periphery of said spiral conveyer, a plurality of projections extending outwardly from a face of said plate-like member and at acute angles to the plane of said face, said projections at their free ends terminating closely adjacent and nearer the periphery of said spiral conveyerthan the arched edge of said plate-like member, said projections being arranged in spaced relation for eiecting a separation of the fuel and allowing the fuel of a size commensurate with the spacing of the prongs to pass therebetween.

11. In a fuel conveying and crushing device, in combination, a conduit, a spiral conveyer in the conduit, a crusher comprising a plate-like member arching over the spiral conveyer, the arched edge of said plate-like member being spaced from the periphery of said spiral conveyer, a plurality of projections formed with and extending outwardly from a face of said plate-like member, said projections at their free ends terminating closely adjacent and nearer the periphery of said spiral conveyer than the arched edge of said plate-like member, the free ends of said projections following a line oblique to the axis of the spiral conveyer and pitched in the same direction as the vane thereof.

12. In a fuel conveying and crushing device, in combination, a conduit, a spiral conveyer in the conduit, a crusher comprising a plate-like member arching over the spiral conveyer, the arched edge of said plate-like member being spaced from the periphery of said spiral conveyer, a plurality of projections formed with and extending outwardly from a face of said plate-like member, said projections at their free ends terminating closely adjacent and nearer the periphery of said spiral conveyer than the arched edge of said plate-like member, the free ends of said projections following a line oblique to the axis of the spiral conveyer and pitched in the same dii rection as the Vane thereof, said crusher being arranged for adjustment to and away from said spiral conveyer and means for securing it in adjusted position.

13. In combination a fuel feed conduit, a screw conveyer in said conduit, a crusher mounted in a transverse position in said conduit over said screw and in spaced relation with respect to said screw forming a. passage for the fuel therebetween, and laterally spaced prongs on said crusher extending in a direction towardy said screw and across the space intervening between the crusher and screw with the free ends of the prongs being disposed adjacent the peripheral edge of said screw, said prongs effecting a separation of the fuel, allowing fuel of a size commensurate with the spacing of the prongs to pass therebetween and beyond the crusher without further crushing and cooperating with said screw to crush the fuel of a size larger than the spacing of the prongs.

14. In combination a fuel feed conduit, a. screw conveyer in said conduit, a crusher mounted in a transverse position in said conduit opposite said screw and in spaced relation with respect to said screw forming a passage for the fuel therebetween, and laterally spaced prongs on said crusher extending in a direction toward said screw and across the space intervening between the crusher and screw with the free ends of the prongs being disposed adjacent the peripheral edge of said screw, said prongs effecting a separation of the fuel, allowing fuel of a size commensurate with the spacing of the prongs to pass therebetween and beyond the crusher without further crushing and cooperating with said screw to crush the fuel of a size larger than the spacing of the prongs.

CHRIST T. HANSEN. 

